10 September 2008

Leather Bush Pilot Jacket

The recent receipt of an Orvis Bush Pilot Jacket as a present has shifted my thinking on leather jackets.

The new jacket from Orvis is made of lambskin, which means it is extremely soft. It is truly a delight to wear. I pair it with an OCBD or Viyella shirt, flat-front khakis, surcingle belt, and Alden loafers. The last time I wore such a garment was in the early '90s, when in a temporary fit of sartorial madness I acquired a leather flight jacket from Sam Walker in Covent Garden. Although the item met with almost unanimous approval from friends and family, who explained that it was completely out of Sloane Ranger character, the jacket's horsehide construction made it exceedingly uncomfortable. It now languishes in storage.

When I think of leather jackets I think of an elderly gent from my school days. Every afternoon, outside the cafe where my chums and I had tea with our master, an old chap would walk past the window wearing a leather jacket, tweed trousers, brogues, tattersall shirt, knit tie, and tweed deerstalker cap. He had short white hair and a moustache, and carried a plastic Tesco bag. This image has remained.

Photo Copyright © 2008 The Orvis Company, Inc.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

hmmm...i look at this and can't help but think of Leo DiCaprio, sorry. (it's a fine line)... but the white bucks and comments thereon posted earlier - spot on, sterling work.

Laguna Beach Fogey said...

I don't know who that is, but I know what you mean, I think. I avoided leather jackets for many years, turned off by the image I saw of American tourists roaming around Britain and Europe in the '80s in leather jackets, mullets, acid-washed jeans, and giant white sneakers.

Easy and Elegant Life said...

The Sam Walker can be resurrected for afternoons on your Royal Enfield Bullett 350, though.

I've got a Vietnam era G-2 that is constricting, hard-finished, motheaten and very flattering. The A-2 model (like yours) may be my next purchase. But I'll wait for a convertible to come my way.

CULTURE CREATORS said...

Thats gorgeous leather, the color is spot on.






xCC

Anonymous said...

Leonardo Di Caprio played Howard Hughes in the 2004 movie 'The Aviator', directed by Martin Scorsese.
It was very over the top, in every possible way. Scorsese did not win an Oscar (yet again). I guess it doesn't have to a bad thing to look like L Di Caprio looking like Howard Hughes?? Still I much prefer the white bucks.

Anonymous said...

Should a traditonally well-dressed gentleman wear a leather jacket? I've got one leather jacket in my wardrobe and I've never got the courage to wear it and have the ability to pull it off. I guess that the leather jacket is only suitable to those who have a good height or those are really butch in terms of physical, for example, Marlon Brando.

Paul J Letteri said...

This Orvis Bush jacket it as smooth as a fine wine and as comfortable as your favorite pair of shoes the leather is buttery soft but ably thick a great buy for the money .One more thing as the jacket ages it slightly changes it's tone in the patina of the leather,Highly recommended !!

Brando Jacket said...

Thats gorgeous leather, the color is spot on.

Anonymous said...

Wow! I was searching Movie Leather Jackets
and its color is spot on.